Cooking up a storm at New Farm

A New Farm community support service is providing local people experiencing disadvantage with a regular nutritious meal shared in the company of others.

A Queensland Government Dignity First grant has helped Communify Qld upgrade the New Farm Neighbourhood Centre and expand its ‘Let’s Eat Together’ service.

The service was developed on the well documented premise that shared meals are an important contributing factor to maintaining positive mental health.

The new program combines good food with good company, providing people with connection and interaction as well as a tasty meal.

Shared, nutritious meals are prepared in an upgraded kitchen and served to guests who gather on bench seating around new long tables. A newly appointed chef prepares the meals, while a project coordinator promotes the service and seeks donations. SecondBite, another Dignity First funded initiative, provides regular donations of food.

Karen Dare, CEO of Communify, said the new home-style meal experience has taught clients the importance of a healthy diet. Mixing with others has also helped decrease anxiety for many clients.

“One male client who had been homeless for 12 months presented at the centre to access the meal service. He now attends the weekly breakfasts as well as twice weekly lunches and takes a bag of fruit to keep him going.

“While attending the centre, he has been assisted to improve his physical and mental health and apply for public housing.

“He now has hope for a better future. He enjoys assisting the project coordinator to set up and cleanup after meals. He has also learnt how to prepare a healthy meal,” said Ms Dare.

Communify assists more than 60 marginalised people each day by providing counselling, legal advice, housing/homelessness and health services, shower and bathroom facilities, access to computers, meals and food relief parcels.

Communify’s ‘Let’s Eat together’ is just one of the innovative projects that was funded in the 2016 Dignity First funding round that is helping to give dignity to people experiencing homelessness.

Last updated 11 December 2017

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